Machine for making wirebound boxes



Nov. 2, 1948. G. P. wooDBURY 2,452,837

MACHINE FOR MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES Filed May 23, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Xla Nov. 2, 1948. p, WOQDBURY 2,452,887

MACHINE FOR MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES Filed May 23, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Nov. 2, T943 MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE- BOUND BOXES Glen P.Woodbury, Mountain Lakes, N. J., as-

signor to Stapling Machines Co., a corporation or" Delaware ApplicationMay 23, 1945, Serial No. 595,372

This invention relates to an improvement in the type `of wireb-oundbox-making machine shown in United States Patent No. 2,161,200, of June6, 1939, and particularly to means for reducing the burden imposed onthe feed belts of the bight-f-orming machine by the transfer -of boxblanks to the night-forming machine from the stapling machine whichattaches the binding wires to the box blanks.

One of the :objects of the invention is to provide a flexible loop forsupporting the box blanks being transferred from lthe stapling ymachineto the bight-iorming machine, which will have a lifting action on thebox blanks being transferred from one machine to the other', under theinluence of weights acting on the flexible loop, so that the drag cithese box blanks against the conveyer belts `of the bight-formingmachine will be reduced and 'heavier 'box blanks may be handled 4by bothmachines.

With the `above and other objects in view, the invention comprisescentain new and useful constructions, combinations, and arrangements ofparts, clearly described in the following specication, and fullyillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure l is a top plan View, showing'the confronting ends of thestapling machine and the eight-forming machine.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of one f the flexible loop-formingbends, showing one end of the weight-carrying rod, taken on a largerscale.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 5 is a detail side view of a clamp.

Fig. 6 is a detail tcp plan view thereof.

In the machine of said Patent No. 2,161,200, `box blanks are fed`through and discharged from the stapling machine continuously at auniform speed, and the stream of wire-connected box blanks which emergefrom the stapling machine is drawn into the bightiorming machine by theieed belts oi i.-

ibight-iorining machine.

Because the stapling machine operates on moving E3-cx blanks and thebightdorming machine operates on ti blanks only when they are at rest,the vchine forming mcdate t vmiti-ent feed of the bightthe box blanks'through both machines. complished by moving the feed belts `oflit-forming machine at a sneed greater than the speed of the conveyerbands ci the stabling machine to compensate for s ieed of the sta-blingrnaust be correlated to accom- 9A Claims. (Cl. 140-93) -8 is mounted toturn in the bearings E.

the intermittent stopping of lthe box [blanks in their movement throughthe bight-forming machine.

Of course, when the -feed of the belts of the bight-f-orming machine isstopped, the continuous feed of the stapling machine will produce a sagin the stream of wire-connected box blanks `between the two machines. Asshown and described in Isaid Patent No. 2,161,200, when this sag reachesa predetermined low point the feed belts of the bight-forming machineare automaticlally thrown into operation to take up the sag, and whenthe sag reaches a predetermined high point the feed of the feed belts ofthe hightforming machine are thrown out of operation. Thus, the feed ofthe feed belts of the bightforming machine is controlled by the amountof sag of box blanks between the two machines.

In said Patent No. 2,161,200, the weight of the box blanks between thestapling machine and the bight-forming machine imposes a heavy burden onthe feed belts yof the bight-forming machine. The present invention isintended to reduce this burden.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the practicalembodiment of the invention, 5 designates one side frame and 6 the otherside frame of the Stapling machine, and 'l the end frame Iof thebght-forming machine.

On the side frames 5 and 6 the cross shaft This shaft carries the largepulley wheels lill and il, which are engaged by the endless steel exibleconveyer bands I2 and i3. v

The stapling machine delivers a stream of box blanks connected togetherby binding wires which are secured by staples to the box blanks. Thisstream of wire-connected box blanks travels from the delivery end of thestapling machine to the receiving end or the bight-forming machine, anddue to the intermittent operation of the mechani-sm of the lattermachine the box blanks being transferred from the stapling machine tothe bight-orming ina-chine develop a dcwnwardlycurved slack loop whichrises `and falls in accord-ance with the loutput of the stapling machineand the demands of the knight-forming machine. The sag in the stream ofybox blanks produces a load `or drag which tends to overload Vtheconveyer belts of the bightnforming machine and definitely restricts theweight of box blanks which may be handled by the machines.

To reduce the effective pull lof the -bcx blanks being transferred fromone machine to the other, va flexible loop is provided by companionsteel 3 bands I4 and i5. One end of the band Irl is lcoupled at I6 to `ahorizontal support il, by means of a link IS, so as to have a freepivotal action; and ione end of the band i is similarly coupled so as tohave a free pivotal action. The other end of the band lli is connectedby a clamp 2| to ya flexible cable 22, whichfis trained over a groovedpulley 23 mounted to turn freely on the end frame member 1 of thebight-forming machine; and the other end of the band i5 is sim-; iilarlycoupled to a flexible cable 2Q bymeans of a clamp 25, and this cable istrained `over a.

grooved pulley 26, which is mounted to turn freely on the end framemember l.

The lower ends of the flexible cables 22 and 2A? `openings 28e toreceive the cable it engages.` The cable end is looped around the rod2l, and the ends `of this supporting loop are clamped by means ofwashers Eile and 28d, which are closed against the cable and against ahead 28e of the bolt 28a by means of a nut 28j.

On the rod 2l, a series of selected weights 29 are arranged to maintaina predetermined lifting for-ce on the two flexible bands M land i5.

The stream. of box blanks B moves from the stapling machine, overdownwardly-curved stationary guides 3U and 3i and over the flexiblebands Il! and l5, in a downward loop, and then rises over thedownwardly-curved guides 32 and 33 of the bight-forming machine.

The weight of the stream of box blanks riding on the bands i4 and I5 iscounteracted .by the weighted rod 21 which maintains an upward pull onthe bands `and the box blanks riding thereon` This upward pull tends tobalance the gravity pressure developed by the weight of the box blanks,and to the extent that it reduces this gravity pressure it also reducesthe burden im.- posed upon the feed belts `of the bight-forming machine.

The starting and stoppingcofpthe feed belts of the bight-forming machinemay be mechanically controlled, as. shown in said Patent No. 2,161,200,or it may be electrically controlled by the rise and fall of aswitch-controlling arm 34 which is supported at its upper end on alateral arm 35 of a post 36 and is provided with a ueshaped lower end 31which rides on the box blanks being transferred from one machine to theother. This control need not be described herein as it forms no part ofthe present invention.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to thespecific embodiment shown herein for illustration.

I claim:

1. The combination with the delivery end of a box-blank stapling machineand the .receiving end of a box-blank bight-forming machine, of aflexible band pivotally connected to the delivery end of the staplingmachine and adapted to support box blanks delivered from the staplingmachine, a guide mounted on the receiving end of the bight-formingmachine, a flexible cable connected with the band and movable on theguide, and a weight connected with the flexible cable, whereby a liftingaction will be maintained on the flexible ,band and the box blanks beingtransferred from the stapling machineA to the bight-forming machine..

2. Thecombination with the delivery end vvof i a box-blank staplingmachine and the receiving end of a bight-forming machine arranged tooperate on the box blanks, of a flexible boxblank supporting cradlepivotally connected at one end to the delivery end of the staplingmachine and having a Weighted end slidable on the receivingend of thebight-forming machine, whereby box blanks being transferred from thestapling machine to the bight-forming machine rwill be subjected to alifting action during such transfer.

3. A flexible cradle for supporting box blanks being transferred from abox-stapling machine to a bight-forming machine, comprising a pairofflexible bands having means for pivotally connecting the same to thedelivery end of a stapling machine, pulleys having means for supportingthe same on the receiving end of the bightforming machine, flexiblecables connected to said bands and engaging the pulleys, and a rodconnected to the flexible cables and provided with weights.

4. The combination with the delivery end of a box-blank stapling machineand the receiving end of a bight-forming machine, of a pair. of flexiblebands having pivotal connection with the stapling machine, pulleyssupported on the end of the bight-forming machine, flexible cablesconnected to the ends of the bands and engaging said pulleys, a rodconnected to both-cablesand a weight arranged on the rod, whereby alifting action will be constantly maintained on the flexible bandsagainst the weight of box blank-s delivered by the stapling machine.

5. The combination with a box blank stapling machine and a bight-formingmachine having work feeding means for drawing into the hightformingmachine box blanks discharged by the stapling machine, of means toreduce the burden imposed upon the work feeding means by the weight ofthe box blanks being transferred'from the stapling machine to thebight-forming machine, comprising, a flexible loop arranged be,- tweenthe confronting ends of the machines, and mean independent of saidfeeding means for causing a lifting action to be exertedby the loop uponbox blanks being transferred from the stapling machine to thenight-forming machine.

6. The combination with a box blank stapling machine and a bight-formingmachine having workfeeding means for drawing into the bightformingmachine box blanks discharged by the stapling machine, of means toreduce the burden imposed upon the work feeding means by the weight ofthe box blanks being transferredfrom the stapling machine to thebight-forming .machine, comprising, a flexible support for the boxblanks arranged between the confronting ends of the machines, and weightmeans arranged to cause a lifting action to be exerted by the flexiblesupport upon box blanks being transferred from the stapling machine tothe bight-forming machine.

7. The combination with a box blank stapling machine and abight-forrning machine having work feeding means for drawing into thebightforming machine box blanks discharged by the stapling machine, ofmeans to reduce the burden imposed upon the work feeding means by theweight of the box blanks being transferred from the stapling machine tothe bightfforrning machine, comprising, a flexible band connecting thetwo machines to support box blanks delivered from the stapling machineand means arranged to maintain a constant lifting pressure on the bandand box blanks supported thereon.

8. The combination with a box blank stapling machine and a bight-formingmachine having work feeding means for drawing into the bightformingmachine box blanks discharged by the stapling machine, of means toreduce the burden imposed upon the Work feeding means by the Weight ofthe box blanks being transferred from the stapling machine to thebight-forming machine, comprising, a fiexible loop arranged between theconfronting ends of the machines, and weight means arranged to maintaina constant lifting pressure on the loop and box blanks supportedthereon.

9. The combination with a box blank stapling machine and a bight-formingmachine having Work feeding means for drawing into the bightformingmachine box blanks discharged by the stapling machine, of means toreduce the burden imposed upon the work feeding means by the Weight ofthe box blanks being transferred from the stapling machine to thebight-forming ma chine, comprising, a flexible support for the boxblanks arranged between the confronting ends of the machines, and meansarranged to maintain a constant lifting action on the flexible support.

GLEN P. WOODBURY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 427,572 Hills May 13, 1890482,128 Kerr Sept. 6, 1892 506,798 Scott Oct. 17, 1893 616,608 EdwardsDec. 27, 1898 1,711,194 Adam Apr. 30, 1929 2,161,123 Avery et al. June6, 1939 2,161,200 Rosenmund June 6, 1939 2,391,170 Labombarde Dec. 18,1945

